The Neanderthal niche space of Western Eurasia 145 ka to 30 ka ago

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: April 2, 2024

Abstract Neanderthals occupied Western Eurasia between 350 ka and 40 ago, during the climatically volatile Pleistocene. A key issue is to what extent Neanderthal populations expanded into areas of conditions facilitated such range expansions. The generally based on distribution material, but land-altering nature glacial periods has erased much already sparse material evidence Neanderthals, particularly in northern latitudes. To overcome this obstacle species models can estimate past distributions however, most implementations are constrained spatially temporally may be artificially truncating niche space. Using dated contexts from sites across Eurasia, millennial-scale paleoclimate reconstructions, a spatiotemporal model, we infer fundamental climatic space occupation. We find that (a.) despite long timeframe, occupy relatively narrow space, (b.) estimated projected potential suggests larger geographic than record suggests, (c.) there was general decline size 145 ago onward, possibly contributing their extinction.

Language: Английский

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3.3 million years of stone tool complexity suggests that cumulative culture began during the Middle Pleistocene

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(26)

Published: June 17, 2024

Cumulative culture, the accumulation of modifications, innovations, and improvements over generations through social learning, is a key determinant behavioral diversity across Homo sapiens populations their ability to adapt varied ecological habitats. Generations improvements, lucky errors allow humans use technologies know-how well beyond what single naive individual could invent independently within lifetime. The human dependence on cumulative culture may have shaped evolution biological traits in hominin lineage, including brain size, body life history, sociality, subsistence, niche expansion. Yet, we do not know when, career, our ancestors began depend culture. Here, show that hominins likely relied derived form by at least ~600 kya, result line with growing existing evidence. We analyzed complexity stone tool manufacturing sequences last 3.3 My archaeological record. then compare these achievable without which estimate using nonhuman primate experiments. find become significantly more complex than expected absence only after kya.

Language: Английский

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Revisited and Revalorised: Technological and Refitting Studies at the Middle Stone Age Open-Air Knapping Site Jojosi 1 (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Jan. 21, 2025

Language: Английский

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Ecology and demography of early Homo sapiens : a synthesis of archaeological and climatic data from eastern Africa

Azania Archaeological Research in Africa, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 59(1), P. 76 - 110

Published: Jan. 2, 2024

Eastern Africa maintains a key position in debates surrounding the emergence of Homo sapiens across Africa. Extensive research region has revealed rich fossil record association with 'generic' but variable Middle Stone Age (MSA) material culture, providing an important laboratory for testing hypotheses about behavioural evolution our species. For example, multiple archaeological studies eastern African MSA note link between distribution and density sites, diversity environmental conditions, ecology demography often cited as drivers cultural evolution. This article formulates new using theoretical models complex fitness landscapes reviews climatic records Middle-late Pleistocene light these ideas. It proposes that evidence from implicates much refugial zone within Africa, consistently suitable conditions survival were characterised by high changing biodiversity, facilitating population growth interconnectivity well culture diversification. Interactions different evolutionary processes likely resulted mosaic observed including appearance 'specific' innovations against backdrop more elements.

Language: Английский

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More Than Surface Finds: Nubian Levallois Core Metric Variability and Site Distribution Across Africa and Southwest Asia

Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: Sept. 11, 2024

Language: Английский

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The legacy of Luca Cavalli-Sforza on human evolution

Published: Feb. 13, 2025

Archaeology and the branch of population genetics focusing on human past have historically lived parallel lives, often having complicated encounters when it came to unravelling origins evolution Homo sapiens. These interactions were proven invaluable obtain a deeper more complete understanding our past. At same time, they sometimes uncovered biases misinterpretations, with serious consequences for data, methods and, most importantly, history species. Cavalli-Sforza pioneered real multidisciplinary approach, bridging statistics archaeology, origins, other fields in humanities, inspiring researchers from these blazing trail today’s successful collaborations. His legacy showed that interdisciplinary approaches are possible vital importance, exposed areas still need significant development today.

Language: Английский

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Large-scale vegetation shifts during substantial warming — Proxy-based biome reconstructions of MIS 6 and MIS 5e in Europe

Quaternary Science Reviews, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 356, P. 109308 - 109308

Published: March 18, 2025

Language: Английский

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Diversity-dependent speciation and extinction in hominins

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(6), P. 1180 - 1190

Published: April 17, 2024

Abstract The search for drivers of hominin speciation and extinction has tended to focus on the impact climate change. Far less attention been paid role interspecific competition. However, research across vertebrates more broadly shown that both processes are often correlated with species diversity, suggesting an important Here we ask whether conform expected patterns negative positive diversity dependence, respectively. We estimate rates from fossil occurrence data preservation variability priors in a validated Bayesian framework test these diversity. supplement analyses calculations rate phylogeny, again testing Our results consistent clade-wide limits governed hominins overall but were not quite reached by Australopithecus Paranthropus subclade before its extinction. Extinction was within or overall; this is concordant playing greater part than speciation. By contrast, Homo characterized positively diversity-dependent negatively extinction—both exceedingly rare all forms life. genus expands set reported associations between macroevolution vertebrates, underscoring relationship complex. These indicate important, previously underappreciated comparatively unusual biotic interactions macroevolution, particular. unexpected dependence may be consequence repeated range expansions driven competition made possible recurrent innovations ecological strategies. Exploring how fits into general vertebrate macroevolutionary landscape potential offer new perspectives longstanding questions evolution shed light evolutionary our own lineage.

Language: Английский

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A pan-European dataset revealing variability in lithic technology, toolkits, and artefact shapes ~15-11 kya

Scientific Data, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Sept. 7, 2023

Abstract Comparative macro-archaeological investigations of the human deep past rely on availability unified, quality-checked datasets integrating different layers observation. Information durable and ubiquitous record Paleolithic stone artefacts technological choices are especially pertinent to this endeavour. We here present a large expert-sourced collaborative dataset for study tool technology artefact shape evolution across Europe between ~15.000 11.000 years before present. The contains compendium key sites from period, data lithic toolkit composition at level cultural taxa represented by those sites. further encompasses 2D shapes selected groups (armatures, endscrapers, borers/perforators) shared taxa. These offer novel possibilities explore between-regional patterns material culture change reveal scale-dependent processes long-term in mobile hunter-gatherer societies end Pleistocene. Our facilitates state-of-the-art quantitative analyses showcases benefits collation synthesis.

Language: Английский

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Revisited and revalorized: Technological and refitting studies at the Middle Stone Age open-air knapping site Jojosi 1 (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 12, 2024

The Middle Stone Age (MSA) of southern Africa is mainly known from rock shelters and caves. How early modern humans interacted with their landscapes remains comparatively understudied. site Jojosi 1, situated north Nquthu in central KwaZulu-Natal, set within erosional badlands, locally as “dongas.” This locality offers a rare opportunity to study MSA technology settlement dynamics an open-air context. A. Mazel initially discovered excavated 1 1991, but did not publish the lithic assemblage. Here, we report on site’s rediscovery coupled first analysis luminescence dating. work provides insights into formation processes reduction strategies, raw material provisioning, landscape use. Our techno-typological draws upon Mazel’s collection 7529 artefacts while combining attribute refitting studies. results show exclusive use hornfels its via platform Levallois methods produce flakes blades. Retouched tools are scarce comprise mostly notched or denticulate pieces lack backed tools, unifacial, bifacial points. museum features abundant small debitage strong component cortical, initial stage, core preparation flakes. 48 refitted ample spatially constricted band suggest high assemblage integrity minimal post-depositional disturbance. Infrared stimulated dating coarse grain feldspars brackets archaeological occurrence ~ 139 − 106 ka. Comparisons contemporary assemblages link Africa. We interpret knapping event aimed at blank production exploitation local high-quality hornfels. With little evidence for other behaviours, likely reflects ephemeral workshop source slabs. ongoing excavations Dongas will be able test this hypothesis characterise technological adaptations hunter-gatherers area.

Language: Английский

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